Thursday, December 14, 2006

Evidence Mounts on Antidepressant-Suicide Link

The current debate isn't really on whether antidepressants cause suicide, but rather which antidepressants cause it more often! In a recent article in Medscape medical news, that issue was seen as an important part of a Finnish study, which was originally published in the Archives of General Psychiatry.

"Among suicidal subjects who had ever used antidepressants, the current use of any antidepressant was associated with a markedly increased risk of attempted suicide..." according to the article.

This study and most others still ignore the obvious link between antidepressants and homicide/violence. But it's a step in the right direction.

The effect is being felt, too. Yesterday the FDA stated that they are expanding the "black-box" warning label on antidepressants to include young adults as potential victims of suicide or suicidal thinking. This is a BIG step in the right direction. There has been a black box warning (so called because it must be in a black box on the product) warning about this reaction to the drug in children and young adults for several years already.

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